NECKLACES, SCARVES, ACROSS-THE-BODY BAGS: There is plenty of attention focused on the upper body right now. On top of that, a bevy of super-prints are jazzing up any outfit with stripes, art splashes, Africana earth patterns and Scandinavian geometrics. It is all very rich, often quite bold, nothing timid or reticent about it at all. You might call it casual wild. It looks great, very new, and very creative. The way the designs are put together with the rest of an outfit invariably results in a very distinguished, individual look.

Theory has the look down pat with a big, light weight wool scarf wrapped around the neck several times and then left to drape down the front of a very sporty outfit with grey leggings, white T shirt and grey leather jacket. The look is super-Today.

Another dynamite look comes from Diane von Furstenberg, with a heavy ribbed black and white scarf wrapped around the neck and then floated down the front of a terrific outfit that includes a great black blouse and green and blue mini skirt. The scarf here makes the outfit. It is heavy, voluminous, unexpected. It is also gorgeous, Frenchy.

The Statement Necklace

BUT DON’T UNDERESTIMATE the power of the necklace in this look! These are statement necklaces with an exclamation mark! Rebecca Taylor shows off a great looking big pave stone rope necklace, at least a couple of inches around, or more, in matte black. It is an attention getter!

From Steven Dweck comes another eye catcher. This marvelous looking scarab necklace is a beaded chain, really, with numerous scarabs of varying sizes hanging off. You’ve got to love bugs to love this one, and if you don’t, well….try learning how. The scarab is on the rise this season!

Oh! But we have barely scratched the surface with all the upper body fashion emphasis on right now. Even shoulders get special attention, witness Alice + Olivia’s big feather shoulders on a dark mini dress. There is a real bird-like quality here! Then, there are fur boas, just starting to come in. Or, a huge cowl neck sweater that folds down over the entire bodice of an outfit by Joie.

Scarves with necklaces worn over them, sometime half hidden in the folds of material, are a new look that we’ve mentioned before. Citizens of Humanity has a terrific looking example, with a big red and black scarf wrapped and tied around the neck and worn with double strand metallic pearls. Very, very IN. IF IT IS WORN ABOVE THE WAIST, AND IF IT IS BIG, CONSIDER IT FOR FALL/WINTER DRESSING 2010. CHECK OUT SOME OF THESE IDEAS:

FROM THE HIP ON DOWN, the new look is skinny. Much of it is helped along by sky-high stiletto heels that look gorgeous and deadly, simultaneously. Add to that a wild collection of high heeled, knee- or thigh- high boots, all very tight and leather-y and designer-fresh. Basic shoes are no different: super high, adorned with feathers and leather poufs and metal embellishments, never simple, never ready to take a back seat. These, too, demand attention.

That seems to be the code word for fall dressing. ATTENTION!

More important still are the clothes and accessories that make up the lower-body skinny profile for fall. They include skin-tight jeans, tights, sexy stockings, little butt-skimming shorts (very big now!), super-minis, and more.

Tights are particularly interesting, many of them splashed with color in the new paint-splattered way. Others are shimmery, with silver or gold threads. Unlike tights in former seasons, the embellishments aren’t even or balanced on both legs, they are more or less “thrown” onto one or both legs, indiscriminately.

French Decadence

AS FOR STOCKINGS, they are sometimes 1940s style, with garter belts or garters holding them up. The big color here is black. The big style is fishnet. A very sexy pair from Christian Dior is tan, reaching up to mid-calf and ending in a ruffle that acts as a garter. How long these stockings will really hold up is anybody’s guess, but they look dangerous to me! Anyway, they also look very sexy with high heeled booties and a space between the upper thigh where they end and a flouncy, gossamer tan mini skirted dress begins.

—It’s that 6 or more inches of naked skin that sets the whole thing off wildly.

As for patterns on stockings, you name it! Many are traditional fishnet, others are floral. Black lace is also hot here. Patterns and varying styles are big, but none of them detract from the basic skinny look played out by stockings, tights, etc. this season, or from the somewhat French decadent look many of these styles portray.

YOU CAN ADD TO THE EXCITEMENT OF TIGHT AND SKINNY BOTTOMS, HIGH HEELED SHOES, ETC. WITH GREAT ACCESSORIES. HERE ARE SOME VERY NOW IDEAS: